My Creole Jambalaya with smoky tofu ham is a vegan version of the Louisiana classic comfort food dish!

February 18, 2019 Updated April 25, 2021 Jump to Recipe
My Creole Jambalaya with smoky tofu ham is a vegan version of the Louisiana classic comfort food dish!
My husband spent a good chunk of his childhood growing up in the South. As a result, jambalaya, gumbo, hoppin’ john, and really just Cajun and Creole flavors in general, hold a special place in his heart. His mother, my sweet mother-in-law, is an EXCELLENT cook. These southern flavors and dishes she mastered at this time remained family favorites long after they moved.
I decided it was about time I create a vegan jambalaya—one of my husband’s particular favorites—to carry on the tradition started by his mother during his time growing up in the South. (And if you’re a fan of southern comfort food, check out my Dottie’s Vegan Hush Puppies and Satchmo’s Vegan Red Beans and Rice recipes!
My only experience with Louisiana flavors has been an amazing Cajun restaurant in Santa Barbara, not too far from where we live, called The Palace.
Side note: If you are ever in Santa Barbara, GO to The Palace !!!! Gorge on muffins before the meal, have a vegetarian pasta dish (or not; my friends and family say the meat dishes are spectacular), and save room for a bread pudding soufflé!) Don’t forget to make a reservation if you are going for dinner. Also, I am told The Palace was a favorite of President Reagan’s after he retired in the Santa Inez Mountains, the mountain range behind lovely Santa Barbara.
With this limited experience, I had some research to do before creating my vegan jambalaya! I found out some really interesting things:
And a quick note on the tofu ham: Wow! I am over the moon about this tofu ham. Using baked tofu as the base really helps the texture become more ham-like because so much of the water has already been baked out of the tofu. As a result, the outside gets crispier faster, and the flavors we add to the tofu stick more and become more prominent.
Ok, thanks for sticking with me, here is my recipe for roux-based vegan jambalaya!